Former Defence Minister General Ratwatte arrested

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 February 2002, 19:37 GMT]Former Defence Minister and presently Kandy district parliamentarian General Anurudhha Ratwatte was arrested Tuesday night by a team of Criminal Investigation Department ( CID ) officials at his Rajagiriya residence in Colombo. General Ratwatte was preparing himself to be hospitalized at the time of arrest, police sources said.

A team of CID officials led by Senior Superintendent of Police Sisira Mendis arrested General Ratwatte on the instructions of the Attorney General K.C.Kamalasabeyson issued Tuesday evening.

The AG had instructed the CID that General Ratwatte could be charged for aiding and abetting several persons in the murder of ten Muslim youths at Udathalawinne, Kandy on the last year December general election day.

General Ratwatte was summoned to the fourth floor of the CID headquarters on February 9 and was interrogated for about 10 hours regarding the Udathalawinne massacre.

General Ratwatte is likely to be produced in Teldeniya Magistrate's Court Wednesday. The CID said that the Police would make application to court to remand General Ratwatte as investigation into the massacre continue.

Meanwhile several police teams have been detailed to arrest the two sons Lohan and Chanuka of General Ratwatte who are the main suspects in the Udathalawinne massacre immediately. Both suspects are now absconding arrest.